I'm TRYING to pay my bills instead of being a deadbeat, i really am which is why i want to resolve this.

Summary should be enough, no reason for a story.

Signed up for energy savers program 8/12A/C and Furnace exploded, replace + $800 rebate 12/12CPS came and removed energy saver devices - rebate shows up as credit with CPS 2/13Since that day i have had my electric/gas bills averaging %20 what they were being taken out of creditCalled 3 times, emailed a few times.. Call 1 2/13 - rep says no problems just low power bill, be happy Call 2 3/10 - rep says we haven't read meter in months, apologizes and promises it'll be done Call 3 4/10 - rep says meter reads are now happening and there are no discrepencies looked at my bill today - meter reads occur but they are giving me a credit for any energy I'm using.CALL AGAIN!? I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop here and for CPS to admit to some mistake and back bill me.

Note that my gas bill and "city service charge" are coming out of my credit, so this is seemingly unrelated.

Ma171aC said: Since that day i have had my electric/gas bills averaging %20 what they were being taken out of credit

This sentence seems important but I don't understand what it means. You are being undercharged by 80%, is that about it?

Put the money aside for the inevitable huge bill when they figure out what happened. In the meantime you can be earning a tiny bit of interest for your troubles.

Document the calls and emails you made so if they try to hit you with penalties or late fees you can challenge them.

Ma171aC

Broke Member

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 11:32a

Through further research i have determined that after CPS took the energy savers devices off my system my meter number on the bill has changed. Once i realized that, i looked at some fine print and found "Current Month PV Excess Generation" and every month its exactly the negative of my power usage. Prior to february this was not on my bill...

I dont have a PV system (Solar or wind), never have. I wonder if they put the wrong meter on.. Can anyone with a solar system chime in?

Call them and tell them they have the wrong meter number and give them the correct one.

daw4888

Senior Member

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 11:53a

Sounds like the hooked up the meter backwards.

Ma171aC

Broke Member

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 11:54a

daw4888 said: Sounds like the hooked up the meter backwards.

This.. isn't actually possible is it?

ZenNUTS

Deez

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 12:09p

satchelsofgold got it right, document so you won't have to pay penalties and put the $ aside. what's this energy saving device you are talking about? Have you checked to see if the meter # match the bill?

kb2120

Thrifty Member

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 12:10p

Maybe posting a copy of your bill ( redacting any personal info ) would help get more informed advice.

ryoung81

Senior Member

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 12:11p

LOL, that could go on for years before they notice it, if they ever do. The meter thinks you are feeding solar energy back into the grid at the same amount of your usage. This is something they would likely never catch, they just don't do audits for this type of thing.

woowoo2

In the crosshairs

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 12:11p

Ma171aC said: daw4888 said: Sounds like the hooked up the meter backwards.

This.. isn't actually possible is it?

No

OP put it all in writing, no more phone calls.They have screwed up.

ZenNUTS

Deez

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 12:18p

ryoung81 said: LOL, that could go on for years before they notice it, if they ever do. The meter thinks you are feeding solar energy back into the grid at the same amount of your usage. This is something they would likely never catch, they just don't do audits for this type of thing.They will catch it and they will make OP pay up even if it's their mistake because as I have mentioned before, utilities are prevented from giving a "discount". This is why OP should keep on top of this and resolve it as soon as possible.

Ma171aC

Broke Member

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 12:20p

More information see boldmeter number changed because i opted out of Energy Savers (they had control over thermostat at certain times if needed)installed new meter, which is the meter number discrepancy

Although they screwed up that won't keep them from coming at me years down the rode IF they do an audit and offering me some kind of payment plan. I'm sitting on the phone with them for the fourth time, if this results in nothing i'll send a nice certified letter informing them of my concern over my bill and leave it at that.

You will want to observe the reading on the meter yourself and compare it to your statements. if the meter is indeed turning in reverse they will be unable to legally bill you for past usage - although they may try. Since they did not properly install a metering device meeting federal or state regulations any bill that you incur under a currently defective meter is complete hearsay. If you observe your meter turning backwards here is what to do: Do NOT make their job more difficult. Call them and report that you do not feel your meter has been properly installed and that it on occasionally makes a high-pitched buzzing noise. An improperly installed/operating metering device is a safety concern. If they do not agree to replace it inform them that you require them to remove it immediately from your property or you will inform the local fire department that there is a defective metering device installed on your house. Don't worry, they will swap it out.

Why? Because if you inform them that you believe it to be defective and unsafe they will be 100% liable if your house burns down. ie: You would inform your homeowner's insurance that you reported the meter, your house burned down killing your family, and now the electric company will be compensating you heavily. Enjoy your new meter.

By your billing data though it appears more likely that they simply miscategorized your meter within their system as one used for grid-tie.

Ma171aC

Broke Member

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 12:46p

Current Month PV Excess Generation

This was the key to the puzzle, apparently when i opted out of Energy savers program and someone hit a wrong button. Instead of putting my account into the regular o'l pool of people who suck energy from them they trough me into the solar group. Solar took my usage read and just assumed it was a credit and never asked questions.

I'll now be back billed from february through current month to what I'm assuming is going to be a balloon payment of 188.77 (if i did my math right). I asked the rep if this wasn't caught for years would i be on the hook and she assured me i would be.

svap

Senior Member

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 12:58p

Ma171aC said: Current Month PV Excess Generation

This was the key to the puzzle, apparently when i opted out of Energy savers program and someone hit a wrong button. Instead of putting my account into the regular o'l pool of people who suck energy from them they trough me into the solar group. Solar took my usage read and just assumed it was a credit and never asked questions.

I'll now be back billed from february through current month to what I'm assuming is going to be a balloon payment of 188.77 (if i did my math right). I asked the rep if this wasn't caught for years would i be on the hook and she assured me i would be.

I had faulty meter and after it was found difference was over 5,000. Utility never asked for it.

ZenNUTS

Deez

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 1:10p

You will want to observe the reading on the meter yourself and compare it to your statements. if the meter is indeed turning in reverse they will be unable to legally bill you for past usage - although they may try. Since they did not properly install a metering device meeting federal or state regulations any bill that you incur under a currently defective meter is complete hearsay.

had faulty meter and after it was found difference was over 5,000. Utility never asked for it

Just because they didn't bill you doesn't mean they can't due to some "regulation" some random goof mentioned on the internet. In fact, in some states, IT'S THE LAW THAT THE UTILTIES HAVE TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT to collect the full used (or estimated amount in case of faulty meter).

I hear you can get alot of energy from kids when extracted properly, who am i to judge as long as i can still watch my oversized plasma while cooling my 18,000sq/ft mcmansion at a reasonable price.

AcidSpectrum

Senior Member - 1K

posted: May. 16, 2013 @ 5:24p

"looked at my bill today - meter reads occur but they are giving me a credit for any energy I'm using."

Hmmmm..

Problem or opportunity? Rent out your garage to (meth) lab , charge very low rates for power usage; the more they use, the more you get paid. Or...you could even have your own little power company for the neighborhood, have a christmas sale/special with yearly contract sign-up. Have everything packed up and be ready to move out of the country in a "flash".

Ma171aC

Broke Member

posted: Jun. 7, 2013 @ 3:23p

Latest bill shows the exact same solar credit.. I'm just going to start putting money away in a seperate account until they figure this out, might as well earn some money on the interest right?

GO GO GADGET POWERCOMPANY

I wonder what would happen, if in the future i go ahead and get a solar panel or two.. maybe this all goes away

dbond79

Senior Member

posted: Jun. 7, 2013 @ 4:36p

Hmmm...since they're classifying your actual usage as a credit, if you installed solar panels in a grid-tie system, they might view whatever power you sell back to them as consumed power, which would reduce your credit amount, so be sure not to generate more power than you're using or you might end up owing them money.

Or something. It's been a long week. I need a beer.

curtster

Cranky Member

posted: Jun. 7, 2013 @ 8:35p

Sacramento (CA) Municipal Utilities District only charges us the basic fee for service, taxes, surcharges, etc. each month. The metered electrical usage is credited back on each bill similarly to the way you described and the accumulated credit has to be paid once a year. So it isn't really a credit to our account, it's more that it's credit the utility company has extended to us.

IIRC it has to do with a law that was passed a couple of years ago - not sure if it was California or federal - affecting PV and probably other energy producers. The gist is that utility companies have to pay producers for surplus energy the producers generate; and if a producer does generate surplus energy in a given month then instead of getting a check cut for the surplus generation that month, the producer can carry a credit for the surplus on the books to offset other months where they are a net electricity consumer. Once a year the account is balanced and the utility company pays the producer for the net annual surplus generation, or the producer pays the utility for the net annual consumption.

tl;dr: even if you don't fix your classification, you will still have to pay those accumulated "credits" once a year.

ETA: I, too, had the idea of setting the money aside and earning a little interest... then US Bank offered utilities as a Cash+ 5% category in Q1 which made it beneficial to pay this year's estimated usage in advance... what a mess.

xoneinax

Senior Member - 7K

posted: Jun. 7, 2013 @ 8:42p

AcidSpectrum said: "looked at my bill today - meter reads occur but they are giving me a credit for any energy I'm using." Hmmmm..Problem or opportunity? Rent out your garage to (meth) labI think you meant to say mota grow, as meth labs do not need electricity. Do you not watch that esteemed cable show ?

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